A special concert celebrating the music of singer-songwriter Kabir Suman is set to take place in Dhaka on 2 October, bringing together three Bangladeshi artistes for an evening dedicated to his songs and musical influence.
Suman, whose work has earned a strong following in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, will not be present at the event. The programme has instead been organised as a tribute to the artiste, with his compositions forming a central part of the evening’s performances.
The concert will be held at Butternote Jazz Cafe in Banani, Dhaka. It has been titled ‘Suddenly on the Street Office Zone’, taking its name from one of Suman’s songs. The title also reflects the organisers’ concept of presenting the performances in a street-concert setting within an office-area environment.
Three Bangladeshi singer-songwriters—Autumnal Moon, Rezaul Karim Limon and Nahid Hasan—will take part in the event. They will perform a selection of their own songs alongside compositions by Suman, allowing the audience to hear his work through the voices and musical interpretations of contemporary artistes.
Kabir Suman has established a distinctive place in Bengali music as a singer, songwriter and composer. His songs have often drawn on everyday urban life, personal experiences and observations of society, with the lyrics playing a particularly prominent role. That approach has helped his music connect with listeners beyond geographical boundaries, including audiences in Bangladesh and West Bengal.
The upcoming Dhaka concert will therefore combine two elements: performances by three current Bangladeshi singer-songwriters and a tribute to an artiste whose songs have remained familiar to Bengali-speaking audiences. By including their own compositions, Autumnal Moon, Rezaul Karim Limon and Nahid Hasan will also present their individual musical styles alongside Suman’s work.
The decision to stage the event without Suman’s physical presence places the focus firmly on his music. His songs will be revisited by fellow artistes, offering listeners an opportunity to experience familiar compositions in a live setting while also discovering the performers’ original work.
The concert is being organised by Aajob Karkhana, the organisation of singer-songwriter Joy Shahriar. The initiative reflects the continuing interest in singer-songwriters and live musical performances in Dhaka, where intimate venues can provide a setting for both original compositions and reinterpretations of established works.
With the three artistes scheduled to perform both their own songs and Suman’s compositions, the 2 October event is expected to offer a varied musical programme. For his listeners in Bangladesh, it will be an evening centred on the songs of an artiste whose work has maintained a notable connection with audiences on both sides of the Bengali-speaking world.
